According to a Pittsburgh Press interview in 1902 with a woman from Dawson, the St. Andrew's Ball was the "great social event of the year." Newspaper accounts of the 1900 celebration noted the elaborate clothing and decorations as evidence that mining towns could still be refined.

George G. Cantwell, a native of Puyallup, Washington, came to Dawson from Juneau in 1898 where he was employed by E.A. Hegg. In 1899, he entered into a business partnership with Frederic N. Atwood. Their specialty was Alaskan views, outdoor portraiture, finishing, and supplies for amateurs. The partnership seems to have dissolved after June 1901, and Cantwell returned to Puyallup by September of that year.